Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-02
cHINAMEN STARTING HOME.


turbed the stiffness of the hour save an
occasional milk wagon rafting over the
cobbles, and only police officer, night
worker or carouser was strolling through
the streets, OF, perhaps. quiet news
paper man going YEARLY to his home.
wagon after wagon loaded with Chinese
and their luggage were arriving at Bran
nan street, opposite the wharf of the
Pacific Mail Steamship company, San
Francisco. 1t may seem strange why
they should be there 50 soon. as the wharf
is not opened for them till 7 O'Clock
They were there. however. each one
wishing his wagon was first at the gate,
80 that he could secure what he consid-
cred the best berth in the Storage.
Shortly after 4 a. IN. load of seven
coolies, sitting high on top Of large
quantity Of luggage, drove up TO the gate
and had first place. During the next
hour a few arrivals heightened the line of
teams; but about ) O'Clock a gray light
stole softly over the listless undulating
water of the hay. and from the dark fog
that lay off in the distance hazy purple
came and dissolved into a silvery gray
that spread over the eastern sky, dim
ming the stars and rendering the lights
on the ship useless.
This heralded the arrival of express and
freight wagons loaded with all kinds of
conceivable luggage-bundles of clothes,
mating bags, strange booking boxes. tin
vessels, Saratoga trunks, {" Mclean"
tools, and, with the Chinese, the ubiqui-
tous round baskets that are carried on
each end Of a strong pole over the shout
der-all containing good things for the
Flowery Kingdom. On top Of all this were
huddled four or five, or perhaps more,
Cinnamon bound for home.
The hoarse, warning voice of the fog
horn and the steady measured beats Of the
foS bell coming dolefully across the water
ceased after sunrise, but the wharves
were alive with the hum Of coming
days toll and the din of the Chinese
jabbering and yelling ere the work Of the
day was commenced. A reporter, who
was there in time to see the first arrival,
tried to converse with many of the Chi
nese, but Me no sabe, they would say,
fearing perhaps that it might not be just
right for their welfare.
For two or three hours the coolies
gathered outside the wharf gate, anxiously
waiting to be admitted. At last the time
came when the door was opened, about 7
O'Clock. and wild rush was made toward
the steamer Sometimes indeed, the rush
from the Oakland ferry on landing at the
mole is like it, but a band OF restless cat
tie let loose would be the closest possible re-
semblance to the race of Chinese down the
wharf They were stopped about half way
by officers and workmen on the wharf,
but the coolies would try every scheme
to get beyond the line, only to be driven
back as a steer would when running off
from pen. AT this time the gentemanly
freight clerk of the steamer asked the re-
porter to come to the front, adding:
"Now the fun commences; keep in front
where the crush is, and their attempts at
crossing the line will be amusing"
1t certainly was. Two men were sta
toned before the Chinese, one armed
with heavy broom that often came
down numerically on the back or head
or shoulders of some coolie as he tried to
make break. When one of the men
would turn his back for a moment
another break would be made, but the
unfortunate would be hurled back with
cuff or shake, and very often little
otipiEtl iftiit1htiSc tbaii Nit' up tiAt'N'
Come in here" or Get back" with
the accent on the back, and something
else on the coolies. The men who tried
TO preserve an unbroken front cut a
funny figure as their mates joked over
their task: indeed, every time a Mongol
would be put back fresh sally of laugh
ter would be made and something funny
said, much to the discomfort of the Chi
nese. A Chinaman carrying a live duck
went boldly to the ship, but the duck
quacking attracted the attention of the
broom armed guard, who was told by an
officer close by that the ducks wanted to
walk walk" but John carried them.
This was pun the guard enjoyed, still
he thought John had better walk back,
too, but on attempting to turn him back
was answered with belong ship, which
evidently was password for the Chinese
deck hands.
After long wait the ship was ready,
and the word was given to let the Chi
nese aboard. The line was broken like
flash, and tremendous sally made for
the gang plank one coolie battling with
the other for precedence; iii fact, q
scramble amounting almost u a free
lpIlt tusutbs hdtS UTILITIES, btShclS,
sticks. tin vessels and .pig tails were
flying over the heads of the crowd, and
at the end of the gang plank PROSTATE
and fighting forms rendered the plank
impossible. At last two stalwart officers
seized the nearest coolie and threw him
toward the ship along the plank. This
cleared the way little, and. between
boxing. pushing and the combined
efforts of four men. kind of wild order
was preserved ashore and the gang plank
kept clear but in their quarters, where
every one was looking for the best bunk,
a scene of Undesirable tumult was wit
messed. Every Chinese seemed full of an
eager desire to push his way through the
narrow passages between the hunks and
up and down the stairs elbowing every
one else, only thinking of himself. and
roaring, jabbering, fighting, hauling loads
of luggage and securing his berth.
For some hours they kept coming in.
increasing the din. Later in the fore
noon detachments from the country ar
rived, and as the day advanced the wharf
locked like n street in Chinatown-loads
of the luggage with at least 500 men,
women and children sitting between
tnefn ana drinking tea or smoking. lhelr
faces wore happy. anxious and excited
appearance. All the time Chinese money
changers walked among the crowd with
handfuls of Mexican dollars which they
changed for American coin with a
profit Of twenty cents on the dollar.
But the traveller loses little or nothing by
the change, as Mexican money is current
in Hong Kong and is equal in value to
| American there.
At noon the ship was cleared of the
Chinese to prevent stowawavs and to is
SUI customs certificates, which, when
once in receipt of, the Mongols went
peacefully aboard. and with goodbys
that sounded like ''ya-yas' they parted
with their friends ashore. San Francisco
Gall.
Custom in Somerset.
By a farmers door found a tall
branch of oak lying against the porch.
The bark was dry. and the leaves were
shriveled, but the bough had been origin
ally taken green from the tree. These
boughs are discovered against the door
on the morning of the 29th of Nav. and
are in memory of the escane of Eipo